Ain't that the way it always Ends
by J. Hicks
Summary: What would have happened if 2010happened differently?
1. Chapter 1

Authors Notes: There was a challenge to write a story about what would have happened if the events of 2010 were different. This was my response.

Authors Notes 2: This story takes place in the year 2011, however most of it is a flashback.

This is a day that is supposed to be hectic. It's usually not spent on quiet  
reflection, but you know what, I've had enough chaos for ten lifetimes. My life  
didn't turn out how everyone expected, least of all me, although I am happy now.

If you had asked me ten years ago, I would have said that I would marry Jackwhen one or both of us left the SGC. I also would have been wrong. Jack and Inever married, in fact I married someone else. I would have married Jack then and he would have married me as well. Instead we were forced out of not only the SGC, but also the Air Force, and then the hatred began. So we separated, and I married Joe, but I was never truly happy. I think it's because I never loved Joe the way I loved Jack, the way I still love Jack. Joe was always second best when it came to my heart. I think he always knew that, but I believe he thought he would one day win complete domination over my heart. I guess I always thought he might too, but he never did.

Looking back, I wouldn't change a thing, if I did I might not be where I am today. Things, may not have worked out how I though they would, but everything works out for the best. I know that now.

I wonder how I got here today. Was it chance, or was it fate, and then I remember.

The beginning of the end; we were at downtime at Jacks' and Cassie's birthday was the next day...

/ "Hey guys what are we going to do for Cassie's birthday? Got any ideas  
Danny-boy?"

"Jack I don't have a clue. Personally I was never an eight year old girl, were  
you?"

"Very funny, Space Monkey, very funny. Sam honey, could you please bring me a beer." He calls out to me. I'm just glad he didn't think we should hide our  
relationship from our friends. I reach into the refrigerator and pull out a beer  
for Jack, myself, and Daniel, and a coke for Teal'c. I go back into the living  
room and hand Daniel and Teal'c their drinks, but decide to play keep away with  
Jack's. I sit down next to him, and we end up in a faux wrestling match over the  
beer.

He soon has me pinned and begins to kiss me. Unfortunately, Daniel and his  
spectacular sense of timing, decides to interrupt just as it's getting  
passionate. So we settle for me stretched out with my head in Jack's lap.

"Guys we need to think of something in the next," he checks his watch, "fourteen hours, and I don't know about the two of you" he says pointing to Jack and I,

"but I'M planning on getting at least eight hours of sleep. Eight year olds have  
energy oozing out of every pore in their bodies."

"Okay, I have a suggestion." I say, "Jack do you remember when we werebabysitting my nephews? We took them to Odyssey Fun World. We could take Cassie there too."

"Yasureyabetcha. It can even be a learning experience for Teal'c. Danny call  
Janet, and then we can play poker or something till we go to bed. I'm assuming  
you guys are crashing here."

And we did. If it wasn't for my suggestion, our relationship wouldn't have ended  
how or when it did. On the other hand, if it didn't end how it did, I wouldn't  
be happy today. And I know it would have ended, It just wasn't the right time.

We didn't wait long enough.

I wake up to someone kissing my neck. "Good morning." His voice is still husky  
from sleep. He pins me underneath him, and steals my lips in a passionate kiss.  
Through my desire fogged brain, I manage to remember who's in the next room.

"Jack, Daniel and Teal'c are in the next room."

"So, if they here us, Danny will blush and Teal'c will be Teal'c."

"Jack as much as I'd love to stay in bed with you all day, we have to get up and go to Janet's." He groans and rolls off of me.

He had fun waking up Daniel and Teal'c though. We stood in the doorway with him whispering

"Danny, time to get up Danny." So then he walked up next to the bed,  
leaned down and screamed "Space Monkey" in Daniel's ear louder than a drill  
sergeant with hemorrhoids. The only sign that Teal'c was even awake was his  
raised eyebrow.

"Come on you two, hit the showers while we start breakfast, then  
we'll switch. We have to be at Janet's by 1100 hours, and it's already 0930."

We start breakfast while Daniel and Teal'c shower, then we switch. Jack and I share a shower to 'conserve water' yeah that was it. At least this way we didn't have to wash the sheets. We shower, eat breakfast, and we manage to get to Janet's a few minutes early.

The six of us all pack into Jack's jeep, and it's off toOdyssey. When we get there, Cassie wants to play games, so we play games for a couple of hours. We must look supremely idiotic-five adults and one child-playing like children here, but it doesn't matter.

It doesn't matter because we're having fun. That's one of the things I love most about Jack, he's willing to let go and have fun. We eat pizza for lunch, and then we decide to play in the tubes/ball pit.

After chasing each other around the tubes for ours we all end up collapsing in the ball pit. We lounge around for about twenty minutes until Jack keeps tossing ball after ball at me. This means war. With Teal'c covering me, I make my way across the ball pit, and tackle Jack. We end up wrestling around, and that eventually leads to Jack pinning me.

"Concede?" He asks me.

"I'll never concede to you, you underhanded, slimy, snakehead!" I answer him  
good-naturedly, he knows that I'm only kidding.

"Now I know that you'd never have sex with, let alone be in love with one of  
those pompous sons of bitches." He says it with smile, and I can tell where this  
conversation is headed.

"Yeah but I do love your snake..." but I'm interrupted before I can finish the  
statement.

"What?" We all turn around to look at the owner of the voice, it's familiar, but  
I can't quite place the voice.

"Simmons, what are you doing here?" Jack says to him. Oh shit, I can tell this  
is not going to turn out well.


	2. Chapter 2

SIMMONS

"Uncle Grahm, does Colonel Jack really have a snake?" My niece asks me.

"Um...yeah Ashley, but we'll have to see it another time. We have to go now."

"Grahm, c'mon Grahm, come back here and talk to us. Let us explain." I can hear all their voices calling, but her voice is the only voice I listen to. I turn  
around to face them only to have some kind of feeling wash over me.

I'm not sure if this feeling is pain, anger, or both, but it's here. I realize the moment I look at them Colonel O'Neill has something I'll never have. He has her heart.

But it was supposed to be mine.

I can only think of how much I love her, and I the only thing I can see is the  
Colonel standing behind her, I can only say one thing.

"I'm going to get you both." And I mean it. My heart breaks as I say those words to her. I just hope you're happy right now Sam, because you won't be for long. You should've picked me.

DANIEL

I know this isn't going to turn out well. Simmons has had a crush on Sam as long as Jack has loved her. We just never knew how deep it really ran. He was ready to forgive and forget when he turned around, I could see it in his eyes.

Something strange flashed through his eyes when he saw Jack standing behind her.

I don't know if it was hurt or anger, but whatever it was, it runs deep. The  
aftermath can't be good. As soon as he said he'd get them both I knew nothing  
would ever be the same again.


	3. Chapter 3

JACK

We had been sitting in my house, no one actually watching the television that  
was on when the call came. Sam and I were called in to the General's office, and  
all six of us got up to go. I think we all realized that this will be the final  
time we do anything together, as the family that has made SG-1 so strong. Sam  
and I enter General Hammond's office together and stand stiffly at attention  
side by side.

"Please Colonel, Major, sit down. It has been brought to my attention that the  
two of you have been carrying out a relationship that is against regulations.  
Would you like to tell me how long it has been going on?"

"About a month sir." I start.

"After the zat'a'rac testing we spent months knowing how we felt about each other and doing nothing about it. Do you remember our mission to P3X-4KS?" I pause and he nods his head.

"Well we almost didn't make it. After that I realized that life was too fragile to let love pass you by. So I went to Sam and told her I couldn't keep it in the room anymore, and I guess neither could she. Sir, you can court marshal me if you'd like, but please don't do anything to put a black mark on Sam's record. We've been completely professional both on base and off-world. Please sir I'm begging you.." I trail off hoping my plea is enough to keep Sam's spotless record.

"I'm not going to court marshal either of you. However, that's on one condition: You both hand in your resignations by 1200 hours tomorrow. If you do, both of your records will be clear of this little indiscretion." He gets this extremely pained look on his face for a second before continuing. "You're both like children to me, I don't think I could love you more if you were. The military  
part of me doesn't understand why you would do something so potentially damaging to your careers. However, the human part of me, the part that IS a father, and believe me that part is more than the majority, not only understands it, but is actually HAPPY the two of you have done this. That part of me is glad you didn't let love pass you by. Although if you had waited only two more months you would have been able to stay how you are. You could have both kept your positions on SG-1. The SGC will have it's own set of regulations due to extenuating circumstances. I talked the president into having the frat rule left at the  
discretion of the C.O. of the base due to the fact that you can't talk about  
your life to anyone you meet outside of the SGC. In this case it would have been  
me, and I was going to allow the two of you to pursue a relationship. After all  
how could I deny my children a chance at happiness? I believe it would have only  
served to make your team stronger, not weaken it. I'm so sorry I have to do this  
to the two of you. Maybe I can find a way to bring the two of you back when we  
get our new book of regulations." As he ends I can see the sincere sorrow in his  
eyes, and I'm unable to despise him because of it. I can see he doesn't want to do this, but he has to.

SAM

We both looked at the dormant gate that day before we left. We knew that it wasthe last time we would see it for at least two months. I believe that somehow we knew that we would never see it again for much, much longer, and that's if we  
were to ever see it again.


	4. Chapter 4

Jack and I had another year after that day. Little things that had never  
bothered us before started to. We picked at each other constantly. Truthfully I  
think we were both just looking for a way out. We had begun to hate each other.

We had loved our jobs at the SGC, and because of the love that we shared we lost them. That made us start to despise, not only each other, but the love that we  
shared as well. The anniversary of our resignations brought with it too much  
bitterness to handle, and we gave up. We had had enough and decided to throw in the towel. I didn't see him again until Daniel and Janet's wedding almost a year  
later. I think we spoke maybe three civil words to each other. Not typical  
behavior for the best man and maid of honor.

That was ten years ago. I heard through Daniel that he got remarried in 2003, about the same time I married Joe. I was happy for him, I really was. I had worked past the bitterness and the hatred, and I guess that we just weren't meant to be.

I remember the day Jack and I left the SGC. We were cleaning our lockers out  
with Daniel there saying how we would still see each other all the time. Well  
look how that thought turned out. He was saying that now we could at least be  
open about how we felt for each in public, when Simmons came in saying that he  
thought we were pretty open about it already. To this day I hear the final words  
he ever spoke to me echoing in my head.

"You should have picked me Sam, if you had none of this would have had to of happened. By picking that unworthy son of a bitch look what you've done." that was all it took for Jack to snap.

I don't know if he snapped because Simmons called him an unworthy SOB, or if it was because of his verbal assault on me, but Jack did. He jumped over the bench, the one I had tried to seduce him on only four years before, and decked him. I saw the way Simmons head whipped around. I bet he was sporting a black eye for a week.

Of course General Hammond had chosen that exact moment in time to come  
wish us well. I remember his words as well.

"Colonel O'Neill, I would think you're in enough trouble right now, I don't think I would add assaulting a fellow officer to the list, would you?"

I've always wondered whether or not Jack believed what Simmons said about him. I hope not, because I never felt that way.

Maybe one day I'll have enough courage to ask him.

Those memories bring to mind the day Jack left me, for what would be the final time.

I stand here and watch him walk away. Before he started walking he gave me a hug goodbye. I wonder if that has any significance. Even with all the hatred he was able to say goodbye. However, that in itself frightens me. Jack O'Neill doesn't believe in goodbyes. I don't think I'll ever see him again. In a way it's a good thing. Right now there's too much bad blood between us, but at the same time I know I'll never love somebody like I loved Jack. Ours was a love that grew not only despite ourselves, but also in spite of all of the regulations we had sworn  
to uphold. It was destroyed by those same regulations. As I stand here in the  
doorway watching him get in his beloved jeep I can't help but think. He turns  
and waves once more before getting in his jeep and driving away. There was a  
bittersweet smile on his face as he waved, and I think that if we would have  
waited a little while longer it wouldn't have ended like this. I don't think it  
would have ended at all.

He did too-I could see it in his eyes when he hugged me  
goodbye. Jack always said that I think too much. I always knew that with Jack  
there would always be "what ifs", I just never thought they would be like this.


	5. Chapter 5

SAM

That was the day Jack left me for a final time. I don't worry about the ifonlys' anymore. I know what would have happened if we had waited. I don't know why I'm remembering all of this today. The last time I thought about all of this  
was a little over a year ago.

I'm wandering through the supermarket wondering if these thoughts about my life  
with Jack will ever leave. I know it's futile. Joe and I may be getting  
divorced, but Jack has been happily married since 2003. Or at least I think he  
has been. Daniel never told me anything besides the fact that he got married. As  
I'm trying to decide whether or not to buy the Froot Loops or not, knowing that  
they will only serve to remind me of Jack every single morning, I hear a  
familiar song start to play. Man this is old. Funny to think of it as old now,  
it was new when Jack and I were falling apart.

I wish, I wish, I wish (To every city, every hood and every block) I wish, I

wish, I wish (Ghetto America) I wish, I wish, I wish I wish, I wish, I wish

VERSE 1 Rollin' through the hood Just stopped by to say what's up And let you

know your baby boy ain't doin' so tough Even though you passed Going on four

long years Still waking up late at night cryin' tears Just thinkin' about those

days You used to talk to me Smilin' while I'm sippin' on this Hennessy And

remember we'd brag on how rich we would be To get up out this hood was like a

fantasy PRE-CHORUS And now you hear my songs The radio is playin' Oh I can't

believe my ears and what everybody's sayin' Boy I tell you folks don't know the

half I would give it all up just to take one ride with you How I used to kick it

on the front porch With you And how I used to lay back and smoke weed With you

And all the little basement party joints we'd do Now I'm just missing you How I

wish CHORUS 1 I wish that I could hold you now I wish that I could touch you now

I wish that I could talk to you Be with you somehow I know you're in a better

place Even though I can't see your face I know you're smilin' down on me Sayin'

everything's OK And if I make it out this thug life I'll see you again someday I

wish, I wish, I wish I wish, I wish, I wish VERSE 2 Ever since this money come

It's been nothing but stress Sometimes I wish that I could just trade in my

success Y'all look at me and say Boy, you've been blessed But y'all don't see

the inside of my unhappiness Man, I swear this shit gets heavy like a ton That's

why you hear me shootin' this real shit off like a gun Mmm I wonder how my

friends would treat me now If I wasn't iced up with a Bentley and a house That's

why Fake-ass n get fake-ass digits And fake-ass players get a real player

hatin' em Honey love goes platinum and y'all ass come 'round But y'all don't

wanna raise the roof Until my shit is goin' down PRE-CHORUS And now you hear my

songs The radio is playin' Oh I can't believe my ears and what everybody's

sayin' Boy I tell you folks don't know the half I would give it all up just to

take one ride with you How I used to hoop off in them tournaments With you And

how I used to club hop on weekends With you Your family called the morning of a

tragic end Damn my condolences CHORUS 2 VERSE 3 Voices in my head Be tellin' me

to come to church Say the Lord is the only way for you to stop the hurt Dreaming

of windows Black-tinted like a hearse But waking up to life sometimes seems

worse And all I ever wanted is to be a better man And I try to keep it real with

my homies, man Want me to save the world I don't understand How did I become the

leader of a billion fans PRE-CHORUS And now you hear my songs The radio is

playin' Oh I can't believe my ears and what everybody's sayin' Boy I tell you

folks don't know the half I would give it all up just to take one ride With you

How I used to street perform on Friday With you And how I'd go to church on

Easter Sunday With you Instead of y'all throwin' them stones at me Somebody pray

for me.

I would give up my entire life to take one ride with Jack I really would, I wishI could talk to him. Jack may not be dead, but to my heart it's just as good as  
if he was. Everyone thinks I'm so blessed because I'm almost eternally young,  
but no one sees what it took for me to get this way. I don't think I ever will  
see him again someday. I continue on throughout the store, the lyrics from the  
song playing through my lowered head. I never saw the man coming towards me, and he didn't see me either. I didn't see him until our carts slammed into each  
other, and my head shot up as I heard his words.

"For crying out loud lady, would you watch where you're going!"

I wonder if it's possible to make somebody appear just because you've beenthinking about them all day. This can't be happening. He can't be here now, not when the pain of his leaving is so fresh in my mind.

"Oh my god, Carter, is that you?" He says almost whispering.

"Yes sir. I answer him."

"Carter I'm no longer your superior, drop the sir okay. It's good to see you, I  
was thinking about you earlier today." He says. I can't believe he was thinking  
about me too. I so caught up in this fact that I almost miss the pain in his  
next question.

"So how's Joe doing?" So Daniel never told him.

"I don't know, and to be honest I really don't care. We're in the middle of  
getting a divorce. So how are you and Kim doing?"

"Well I'm doing great, but I have no clue how Kim is. Our divorce was finalright after Cassie's sixteenth birthday. She had a miscarriage and her doctor  
told her not to try and get pregnant again. You know how I've always felt about  
kids. It wasn't so much the miscarriage, it was more the fact that she refused  
to even think about adopting kids. We had one to many arguments about it, and  
we decided to get divorced. I was never completely happy with her, there was  
always something missing in our relationship, and it wasn't a child. I don't  
know what it was, but it just wasn't there."

"I'm so sorry Jack." His name should sound foreign on my lips, but it doesn't,  
it feels as if I've been calling him that for years. "Not just about the  
miscarriage, but your divorce too."

"Ah don't worry about it. I've gotten the hang of them, I'm starting to get goodat divorces. As much as I love having this conversation with you can we go  
somewhere else to continue it? I'm an old man remember?" I chuckle at his  
comments, probably the effect he wanted. As we move through the checkout lines and into the cafe across the street I'm amazed at how quickly we slipped back into our old patterns. As we sit talking over our respective meals there's no  
trace of the bitterness that once stood between us. We laugh, we joke it's  
almost as if it's the year 2000, except that Janet, Daniel, and Teal'c aren't  
here. When we get done he walks me over to my car still in the Jewel parking lot  
and opens my door for me.

"You know Sam when I woke up this morning I never thought I'd be seeing the  
reason for my divorce." He says, but I don't think he meant to. He can't mean  
what that sounded like.

"I'm sorry Sam I shouldn't have said that."

I'm not going to let fear of rejection stop me this time around.

"Did you mean it?" I ask.

He looks around like the only thing he wants to do is run.

"Yeah Sam I did okay, the thing missing in my relationship with Kim was the laughter. She didn't laugh at my jokes, and I definitely didn't purposely tell them to make her laugh. Her smile didn't illuminate my life like yours always did. She was dumber than I am, I missed hearing your technobable. I missed YOU Sam."

"Jack I'm so glad to hear that. The reason Joe and I split up is because I never  
loved him like I had loved you, and I never got over you." I add the last part in a  
whisper, not sure whether or not I want him to have heard it.

"Sam I still love you too. In fact I never stopped." He bent down to kiss me,  
and it was as if the past ten years and our respective marriages never happened.

When we separated we decided it was time to put our lives back how they shouldbe. We both got into our cars and drove back to my house. Who knew Jack had been living so close to me for years and I never knew it. If I had been able to get pregnant, and Kim hadn't of ended up having a miscarriage our kids may have ended up friends. That would have been an interesting meet the parents. I could just see it; my little son or daughter seeing Jack and saying 'Hey my mommy has a picture of you in her night table drawer.' 'Well what's your mommies name?'

'Samantha Carter-F'

'What!' Then it hits me I have to tell Jack that I can never get pregnant.

When we pull up in front of my house I can tell by the look on his face that he  
thinks I'm having second thoughts. Oh how I wish that's all it was.

"Jack I haveto tell you something. I can never get pregnant." I wait for the pain to cross his face, but it doesn't seem to affect him.

"Sam would you be willing to adopt children?" He asks me, and I know that thisis the defining moment for us. We've been given a second chance and this is make or break time.

"Jack I would adopt a child in a heartbeat, but like Kim, Joe wouldn't." He cuts  
me off with his lips on mine.

"Sam, that's all I need to know. I love children, and it doesn't matter to me  
whether they're mine biologically or not. I'll love a child of mine the same no  
matter what. Now what do you say we continue this conversation later, and  
adjourn upstairs to your bedroom?" He says to me after the need for air becomes  
a pressing issue.

"Okay." I breathe, and for the first time in ten years I think I just might be.

We make love slowly, relearning what the other likes, what drives themcompletely crazy. Jack always was an great lover, but tonight he was even better  
than I remembered. Maybe it was because I had gone without his love for so long, I don't know. As we lay in each others arms afterwards we laugh some more. This was something that was missing with Joe. We would have sex no where near as great as this was, and then when we were through we would fall asleep on opposite sides of the bed. You could have fit two people between Joe and I. For some reason I doubt there will be any room between Jack and I tonight. We're laying there when all of a sudden both of our cell-phones ring.

"Samantha Carter." I say as Jack responds likewise to whoever is on his line.

"Sam, it's Dad. George and I were talking, and we've decided to let you in on  
something. I can't talk about it over the phone be at this address at 0100  
hours." I write the address down and look at my watch. 0030 hours. Before I can  
tell Dad I don't know if I'll be able to make it or not he's hung up. I look  
over at Jack to see him writing something down as well. When he gets off the  
phone I say.

"Who was calling you at this hour?"

"Oh, just General Hammond."

"Let me guess he told you that you had to be somewhere at 0100 hours right, and  
that he couldn't talk to you about it over the phone?"

"Yeah, how'd you guess?"

"Because I just got the exact same phone call from my dad. Let me see the  
address he gave you." I compared the addresses only to find that they were  
exactly the same.

"C'mon lets get going, we wouldn't want to be late would we."

We get into Jack's car and he drives us to the coordinates we were given we getout of the car in front of an old abandoned warehouse. When we walk inside we're surrounded by the go'a'uld transport rings. When they no longer surrounded by the rings I can see General Hammond, my Dad, Daniel, Janet and Teal'c all standing in front of us. And about fifty feet behind them is a Stargate. It  
looks exactly like the one that's in the SGC, the newest tourist attraction, but  
it has one major difference. This one is spinning.


	6. Chapter 6

"Unauthorized off-world activation." Someone who sounds remarkably like Major Davis says over the intercom.

"Will someone please tell me what the fuck is going on here? What the hell is  
this some kind of fucking joke or something!" Jack bellows. Jack and his  
language, I thought he would have mellowed with age.

"The two of you," General Hammond says pointing to Jack and I. "are being  
recalled. I think we can adjourn to the briefing room. SG-13 go hit the showers,  
you'll be paged when Dr. Frasier has time to give you your post-mission  
physicals, debriefing will be at 0900 tomorrow." It's amazing how people still  
listen to him. The five people who just cam through the 'gate trudge off to-I'm  
assuming-the locker room.

"Daniel, lead the way." We make our way to a room that  
looks like the old briefing room. "Everyone please take a seat. We are waiting  
for the other two members of SG-1, they should be here periodically."

"Ry'ac to the briefing room, Captain Cassandra Frasier to the briefing room."  
could be heard over the intercom.

"Aunt Sam, Uncle Jack you guys are finally here!" Cassie screams as she comes  
running at us full speed. It seems extremely strange to see an 18 year old  
Cassie and a twenty year old Ry'ac. They were just children the last time I saw  
them, and from the look on Jack's face, the same holds true for him.

"Can everyone please take a seat. It's time we brief these two on what is to  
become their lives once again." General Hammond says. As I look around the  
briefing table I realize how strange it looks. My father sits at one end of the  
great table, and General Hammond sits at the other. Cassie, Ry'ac, and Janet sit  
on one side of the table, and Jack, Daniel, Teal'c and I sit on the other. There  
is only one chair that stands empty. I know who would be sitting in that chair  
if he hadn't of died. Charlie Kawalsky. He's the only person who could possibly  
belong in this mismatched group here. I was so deep in my thoughts that I give a  
start when General Hammond begins to speak.

"As you have probably noticed the SGC is up and running again. To keep it a secret we had to leave the 'gate where it was, and have other military personnel take on the personas of the SGC members at the tourist site. Of course SG teams 1-7 could not have anyone take their places since they are so well known, so they have been completely phased out of the project there. This program has been in operation since the year 2003. Our goal has been to fight the Aschen so that their race would have no choice but to leave Earth. We have been extremely successful in doing this, most of the Aschen have already left the planet. This, however, is only half the job. We are currently in a war with the Aschen that is much like the one we had waged against the go'a'uld. Since the two of you were happily married to people outside of the SGC, we had decided that it would be in your best interests not to recall you for the project. I felt that it had denied you happiness once, and I was not going to allow it to do it again. Everyone in this room, except for Jacob of course, is like a child of my own. Jack after your divorce and it seeming as if your marriage to Joe wasn't going well Sam, we though about bringing you in on this. However, we were not sure if the two of you could work together again or not. Recently we have decided that it doesn't matter, we will put the two of you on separate teams. Do either of you have any questions?"

"Wait a minute." I say

"Did you say that this has been going on since 2003?"

"Yeah." Daniel piped up.

"Didn't either of you notice that Janet and I lost touch with you around that time."

"Well, yeah I did, but I thought you got sick of me asking questions aboutSam..." Jack trails off and looks over at me sheepishly. The moment he looks in my eyes we seem to have entire conversation in that moment. We've decided what our future will be in that one second. "General, Dad" He says, and I notice that he has already started calling my father Dad again. "Sam and I will NOT come back here if we can't be together in EVERY way. I will not go on a mission without her there to watch my back, and she won't be going on any missions without me there to watch hers. I love this woman with my entire heart and soul and I'm not going to allow our second chance to slip through my fingers just because the USAF decided to recall us."

"Okay son, the SGC has it's own set of regulations. We will send the six of youon routine mission to PSX-4J2. If all goes well I'll consider allowing the two  
of you to be on SG-1. You depart today at 0800. Dismissed." And on that note  
we all got up and left the briefing room only to meet a large crowd of well  
wishers. Behind me I hear General Hammond say to my Dad "I've waited ten years to be able to tell them that."


	7. Chapter 7

SAM

Yeah General Hammond had waited ten years to tell us  
what he believed would only take two months. In those  
two months Jack and I had begun to fight too much. I  
still remember the day we went on our first mission as  
SG-1 again...

We stand in the gate room waiting for Daniel. It's  
nice to know that some things never change. When  
Daniel walks in he says something that I know will be  
forever etched in all of our memories.

"In front of me today I see SG-1, past, present, and future."

Before anyone has time to respond we hear General  
Hammond's voice over the P.A.

"SG-1 you have a go." Jack, Cassandra, and I turn  
around to salute him, and I see a distinctly fatherly  
look on his face.

"C'mon campers time to move out." I hear Jack say as I  
come out of my thoughts.

We gate to PSX-4J2, do the whole meet and greet  
routine, and joke as we walk back to the Stargate. We  
had to have this entire mission taped so that the  
General and my father could see how we worked  
together. Daniel dials up Earth's coordinates, and I  
enter the GDO code. We wait the requisite seventy-two  
seconds, and as we're about to walk through the gate  
it flickers.

"Uh, Sam what was that?" Daniel sounds a little  
worried.

"I have no idea, but it doesn't seem as if it's going  
to happen again." I say. We step through the gate one  
by one. I step through, and come flying out of the  
other end. I hit hard, but the strange thing is I  
don't hit the ramp. I hit a woman, who I distinctly  
heard, just say 'We're walking, and this is a picture  
of SG-1' All of a sudden Janet, myself, Teal'c and  
Daniel all come and drag us into the General's office.  
Or at least what used to be the general's office.

"What the fuck! Who the fuck are you people, and why  
the fuck does this place look so much like the mother  
fucking SGC?" Jack says.

I really hate to be the one to interrupt his tirade,  
but I have to.

"Jack, I think we're in an alternate reality.


	8. Chapter 8

This time around we are sitting in one of the storage  
closets. It's a bit cramped in here with SG-1 plus a  
few extras. We listened to their story, and we've  
decided to help them. We only hopes that this works.

Right now we are all in disguise as tourists, how  
we're pulling it off I have no idea, but we are. Their  
Jack actually showed up to help despite what Sam  
thought. It must be time. It seems as if everything is  
happening in slow motion. The gate starts spinning,  
everyone is being picked off one by one, and Janet is  
taken down right next to the gate. Her hand drops  
right next to the gate still clutching the note. We  
all see this at the same time and all make a run for  
the gate. Ry'ac makes a dive for the note and we all  
collapse through the gate with him clutching the note.

The gate closes behind us as we tumble out. We really  
have to stop doing that. Jack pulls the note out of  
Ry'ac's hand and thrusts it into General Hammonds'  
face. "Do what this note says, and do not trust the  
Aschen! No matter what, take this advice!" Before  
any of us can open our mouths it is too late to keep  
Jack from damaging the timeline too much. Although,  
after seeing the alternative I'm not sure that this is  
a bad thing.

We were eventually sent home using themirror. We were taught how to use it, and we promised  
to come back sometime. Although, it was fun to make  
the same entrance that Kawalsky and Samantha O'Neill  
made twelve years ago. The briefing is at 0900, and then  
my father and General Hammond will review the tapes of  
this mission to see if we are still fit to work  
together or not. I can only hope that we are.

That was a year ago, and I have realized that it was  
fate who put me here today. Today is one year after we  
were called back. The Air Force forced us to retire,  
and then it forced out of retirement as well. We  
always were the best at saving the world. We still  
have to fight the Aschen, but we will win one day.

It's kind of funny, Daniel was right that day in he  
gate room. It was SG-1 past, present, and future  
standing there. We started to use the mirror after  
learning to do so from our alternates. We found a  
reality that had been destroyed by the go'a'uld. There  
were only three survivors still in the SGC. The only  
three people who could make our lives complete.  
Charlie Kawalsky, Sha'ree, and Charlie O'Neill. That  
seat in the briefing room has finally been filled, and  
by the only man who could. We kept our promise to our  
alternates who taught us how to use the mirror. When  
we went through the gate with that note we managed to  
erase it all. None of it ever happened. Jack never  
left the SGC and Sam never married Joe. Sam and Jack  
married and they have three children together. They  
were both promoted. Major General Jack O'Neill, and  
Colonel Samantha O'Neill. Funny thing is, they're both  
still on SG-1. I swear Hammond is going to die in that  
place.

In about an hour I'll be married to Jack as  
well. We may not have waited, but we got a second  
chance. The day I was told I couldn't have children  
was one of the saddest of my life. However, they were  
wrong. I found out yesterday that I am carrying Jack's  
child. I guess we both get a second chance at that as  
well. After Charlie is all grown up and fighting  
alongside of us now. I'll tell Jack about the baby  
after the ceremony. I'm happy now. I never really was  
happy with Joe because he was always second best when  
it came to my heart. Jack is and always was first and  
foremost. So I grew up, saved the world, and married  
the handsome prince. Now we'll live happily after with  
our child. After all, ain't that the way it always  
ends in a fairy tale.

THE END


End file.
